Reddish-orange fur, leading down to black paws and a fuzzy tail.
"A fox?!" you yip, then realize what just happened. "I can speak?"
"It involved slight alteration of the anatomy, but yes," the apprentice responds flatly. "It's hard to get a sense of how much you understand otherwise."
"But then...why make me a fox at all? Why not turn me back into a human?" you ask, confused.
"Let's just say it's more convenient at the moment," he responds, then getting up, picks you up easily and places you on the table next to the tray, then lifts the lid on a dish that contains stew. "Here, eat." You don't particularly want to eat until you get some answers, especially having to eat in this form without hands, but at that moment, your stomach growls loudly. If you were human, you would be blushing beet-red. Ignoring the snicker from the apprentice, you stand over the bowl of stew and begin to lap it up awkwardly, not certain how to eat in this new form. The apprentice pays you little mind, eating from the other plate which contains bread, vegetables, and some meat. Finally sated, and unsure how to get down from the table on four paws, you sit back on your haunches and stare at the apprentice as he finishes his meal.
"So, who are you and what the heck did you do to me?" you finally ask suspiciously. Leaning back in the chair, the young man gives you a searching glance.
"Where to start, huh? I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Lawson Broak, and as you heard eariler, I am a Mage Apprentice." At this point, he holds up a hand as he sees you open your muzzle. "No point in introducing yourself, your old name will mean nothing here, and we'll have to come up with something else to suit you." You bristle a bit at the thought of even having your name taken from you, but for now you decide to just listen.
"As to what I did to you, I called your soul to this world and placed it in a vessel for you to serve as my familiar. However, there are a few problems with this," Lawson says as he holds up three fingers. "First, apprentices are not allowed to have familiars. Normally, their level of control is too weak. Second, there are certain bindings required to be placed on familiars that subdue their old memories, make them more subservient and so forth; I won't go into the reasons for it right now, but suffice it to say, the bindings placed on you are different. Thirdly, and most importantly, a master must never Link themselves with their familiar. However, for my own reasons, I have Linked with you," Lawson smiles darkly. "Which probably makes me the only apprentice capable of successfully Linking with a familiar in the history of Grovesend."
"What do you mean, 'Linked'"? You have many questions, but you decide to start with that one, since it sounds the most ominous.
"We are connected body, spirit, and mind," Lawson says solemnly. "Eventually, bit by bit, our minds, spirits, and even our physical awarenesses will bleed into each other. Some magicians have gone mad from attempting it. Some familiars have even gained ascendancy over their masters, turning them into mere servants. And of course, there have been rumors of...worse consequences. At any rate, we are now inextricably bound together, and if anyone discovers that you are my familiar, we will suffer and die together," Lawson finishes with a mirthless smile.
"Why...why would you do such a thing?" you ask, horrified. If you really are inextricably Linked with Lawson, then doesn't that mean there's no way out for you? Lawson stares at you sharply, obviously evaluating how much to tell you. It's obvious you are in the weaker position here, and there's no need for him to tell you anything. However, after some musing, Lawson seems to come to a decision, exhales deeply, then begins to speak.
"In truth, I summoned you because I need your power, and your help," Lawson says in a measured tone, but you can hear the sincerity in his voice. "I need you in order to..."